The Political Parties

Main Political Parties in New Zealand

What are the main political parties in New Zealand? Find out about the political parties of New Zealand, about political party leaders, party objectives and policies and more in a basic, easy to understand format.

• Parties
• Members of Parliament

The New Zealand election 2008 is set to put Labour and National, two the political parties of New Zealand up against each other in a bid to run the country for the next three years. If you feel a little in the dark about who belongs to each party, what their key objectives are, and what the other main political parties are, read on for an overview of the political parties of New Zealand.

Act

Party Leader: Rodney Hide

Founded: 1994

Objectives: Act New Zealand focuses on individual freedom and personal responsibility, which promotes and rewards a social policy of hard work, enterprise and being responsible for one's own actions. Act supports a growing, open economy which allows the government to protect freedom of personal responsibly, but doesn't interfere with it.

Main issues: Lower taxes, reduction of crime, less government-provided services to encourage self-reliance for New Zealanders to pay for just the services necessary to them.

Progressive

Party Leader: Jim Anderton

Founded: 2002

Objectives: The Progressive Party has a strong stance on the creation of jobs and minimising unemployment. The party advocates free education and free healthcare policy objectives, and pays strong attention to economic development issues.

Main issues: Increased public access to services, supporting the individual worker, anti-drug campaigns.

Maori Party

Party Leaders: Tariana Tuia, Pita Sharples

Founded: 2004

Objectives: Born out of the foreshore and seabed controversy, a key Maori Party objective is to revisit the ownership of parts of New Zealand land as determined by British colonisation.

Main issues: Maori needs and uniting Maori culture, land ownership.

Labour

Party Leader: Helen Clark

Founded: 1916

Objectives: Labour are the centre-left political party in New Zealand, which means while aiming to serve every New Zealander equally, they work towards public services over privatisation, serving society as a whole. Bridging economic gaps and creating equality nationwide also, is a key objective of the Labour party.

Main issues: Affordable tax cuts while continuing to invest in public services, making education affordable, supporting low to middle income families, healthcare subsidies, retirement schemes, energy efficiency.

Green

Party Leader: Jeanette Fitzsimmons

Founded: 1990

Objectives: Focusing mainly on environmental issues, the Green party argue generally left-wing economics and progressive social policies, similar to the Labour party. Their key objective is that economical sustainability is paramount to the natural world.

Main issues: Solving climate change and peak oil issues, non-violent solutions to worldwide military activity, fair trade.

Kiwi Party

Party Leader: Larry Baldock

Founded: 2007 (original form 1995)

Objectives: The Kiwi party, formerly Future New Zealand, is a continuation of the Christian Democrat Party, established in 1995. The party advocated Christian values and conservative democracy. They aim to re-establish a closer family and community culture within New Zealand, held together by faith-based ideals.

Main issues: Reconnecting conservative family values, tough on crime (especially violent crime) and justice, tough on drug and alcohol laws. 

National

Party Leader: John Key

Founded: 1936

Objectives: As the centre-right political party in New Zealand, National are the direct opposition to the Labour party. Their objectives aim to reduce unnecessary public service funding in favour of more targeted and indispensable services for New Zealand society. National values family and private enterprise, and encourages and rewards ambition and individual effort.

Main issues: A globally effective economy, further tax deductions over Labour's plan, higher standards of education, tough on crime.

New Zealand First

Party Leader: Winston Peters

Founded: 1993

Objectives: New Zealand First supports mixed objectives, often advocating sensationalist or provocative objectives and radical change within New Zealand. They aim to put New Zealanders first, opposing privatisation and placing control into the hands of New Zealanders. 

Main issues: Reducing immigration, crime reduction by way of increased police presence, and increased sentencing, security in retirement, tax reductions.

United Future

Party Leader: Peter Dunne

Founded: 2000

Objectives: United Future promotes strong family values and a fair, open society. They value a competitive economy which encourages prosperity and growth, supporting privatisation while allowing government support.

Main issues: Further tax cuts, increased family services, improving public and private health capacities, encouraging New Zealand's multiculturalism.

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